I looked up at him.


    He was firm and serious.


    I said, “I love you.”


    He smiled happily, ‘I love you too.”


    It was the first time that we had said the L word to each other.


    He said, “thank you, ra.”


    I was surprised, “For what?”


    For loving me, and for being with me…


    The winter in this city was long, stretching from November to March.


    rrie had a cold and couldn’t get off the bed.


    Dennis had gone to work and left a note beside the bed, “it’s cold. Wear more clothes outdoors.”


    I smiled.


    And when I saw the florid face of rrie, I felt solicitous and called Mario.


    “What’s up?” he said coldly.


    I paid no attention to his coldness and said, “Dr. Be, could you pleasee here? rrie has a fever and the hospital is too crowded for her.”


    That was an excuse, which must be made up to solve another problem.


    The man at the other end said, “Okay.” And hung up.


    Twenty minutester, he showed up.


    I was surprised at his speed.


    “Were you nearby?” From his residence to here, it took at least forty minutes.


    He didn’t reply but asked, “How is rrie?”


    “She has a high fever.” I let him into the room.


    He took the kit in his hand and went to rrie.


    Father was concerned about his daughter. I was not surprised.


    He measured the temperature for rrie and asked me, “Is there ice in your house?”


    I nodded, “Yes.”


    “Take some ice cubes and wrap them in a towel and lower her temperature. Then turn off the heat and take some warm quilts.”


    And he began to find something in his kit.


    I was confused, “it is so cold and I should turn off the heat? How could she stand that?’


    He looked at me and said, “who is the doctor, you or me?”


    I shut up and did as he told me.


    When I was back, he looked at me and frowned, “You can wait in the sitting room.”


    I wanted to say something but I was feeling cold and I just left.


    Half an hourter, Mario went out and put his kit on the table in the sitting room and went to the kitchen to clean his hands.


    He said, “The fever is over. She should stay home for several days and not eat rich food.”


    He paused and added, “I left the medicine in her room. Once a day.”


    I nodded and noticed the dark circles around his eyes. Obviously due tock of sleep.


    I said, “It is snowing again. And it is almost lunchtime, why not stay and have lunch?”


    I had disliked hising here due to his rtionship with rrie.


    And I even thought of preventing his friendship with Dennis from continuing so that rrie would be safe with me.


    But I could not be that selfish.


    He thought for a while and dried his hands with tissue, “You cook?”


    I nodded, “Yes. I will cook and you will look after rrie.”


    He nodded.


    I felt relieved when I saw he went into her room.


    He was so concerned about her.


    Dennis and I should have a child too.


    I took some food out of the fridge and cooked a light meal.


    It didn’t take long.


    When I asked them to eat, rrie was already awake and was ying games with Mario.


    Sheughed and coughed. Mario patted her with happiness on his face.


    “Time for lunch.” I broke their joy.


    Should be more tolerant?


    But I felt bitter when I saw he and the little girl I brought up were so happy with each other.


    They heard me and Mario picked rrie up.


    rrie smiled at me, “Mom, I had a brain twister for Mario and I asked him which one hurt the head more, watermelon or durian? Do you know the answer?”


    Mario carried her out of the room and I followed.


    “The durian hurts more,” I replied.


    Sheughed triumphantly, “You answered like Mario. But no, the head hurts more.”Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sheughed and coughed, and Mario patted her, “Don’tugh anymore. You still have a sore throat.”


    On the table, rrie was very joyful and ate more than usual.


    Then I put her to bed and she quickly fell to sleep.


    Mario was preparing his kit and was ready to leave.


    I said to him, “Are you in a hurry to leave? Can we talk?”


    He sat on the sofa and said yes.


    I was hitting the point directly, “When Diana died, she said that rrie should never meet you.”


    He felt pain at my words and said, “I can understand.”


    I went on, ‘rrie is your child and this cannot be negated. Not even Diana.”


    He was surprised, “And?”


    “This should be between you and Diana; I shouldn’t have interfered. But I brought rrie up and treated her as my child. I hope you could understand me.”